For decades, entertainment devices such as networked and standalone media devices and computing devices/components have been continually invading the living room, home offices, bedrooms, basements, conference rooms, commercial spaces, etc. However, at the same time, generally speaking, some of the furniture that has been employed to house these devices and peripherals has remained static in terms of its functionality. For instance, “coffee tables” have largely remained the same. For another example, while the notion of a “TV stand” has existed, i.e., a stand suited for supporting a television (TV), the TV stand in its various formations tends to be little more than a flat surface with shelves or drawers underneath.
Through time, some of the furniture that has been employed to house these devices and peripherals has changed, for example, the TV stand has morphed into entertainment centers that house a plurality of entertainment devices and can include one or more hinged doors on the front to shield the entertainment devices (gaming consoles, games, Digital Video Disk (DVD) players, Compact Disk (CD) players, set top boxes, Video Cassette Recorders (VCRs), etc.) from view and/or from damage. Most if not all of the plurality of entertainment devices plug into a wall outlet to receive electrical power. Additionally, many times other cables interconnect different devices or other data sources such as the Internet, a video digital recorder (VDR), a game console, a display, and/or a computer.
For example, it is not uncommon, to have a satellite receiver having a cable going to a satellite dish and having a cable going to a VCR or DVR that in turn has a cable connected to a game console that is connected to a display device. Additionally, there can be multiple speaker wires. In some instances, wire management in an entertainment center environment is very difficult both from a functional aspect and from an aesthetic aspect. Accordingly, for these and other reasons, an improved cable management apparatus that can be incorporated or integrated with targeted entertainment centers that house media consoles, peripherals and/or media devices and content is desired. Because the type of wiring employed is limitless, for example, some devices utilize phone lines, as employed herein the term cable means all wiring whatsoever such as coaxial cable, two wire speaker wire, Cat 5 cable, electrical cords, a single wire, etc.